Combined cithern



No. 62|,020. Patented Mar. l4, I899. J. BLUMENBERG.

COMBINED CITHERN CASE AND TABLE.

2 Sheets--Sheet I.

(Application filed Sept, 14, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

ma xo'mus PETERS c0, mum-mac" w snmmo Patented Mar. l4, I899. J. BLUMENBERG. COMBINED QITHERN CASE AND TABLE. (Application filed Sept. 14, 1898.)

2 Sheets-:Sllfiet 2 l L f HWENTOR No. 62l,020.

(No Model.)

ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS BLUMENBERG, OF MARTINS FERRY, OHIO.

COMBINED CITHIEYRN, CASE, AND TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,020, dated March 14, 1899.

' Application filed septemher 14, 1898. Serial No. 690,898. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J ULIUs BLUMENBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martins Ferry, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Oithern, Case, and Table, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined cithern, case, and table of that class in which the case is made integral withthe body of the cithern and not detachable therefrom and in which all the parts forming the case and table are combined in an undetachable manner, so that an entire structure without detachable parts is obtained, and thereby the annoyance of losing or misplacing any of the parts is avoided and a conveniently-operated cithern, case, and table obtained which is always ready for use.

The invention consists of a combined cithern, case, and table consisting of a cithern, a case made integral with the body of the same, said case being extended so as to form a space below the cithern, legs hinged to the case and foldinginto said space, a bottom hinged to said case, means for fastening the bottom in closed position, a lid hinged to the cithern-body, and means for locking the lid in closed position, and, further, incertain details of construction and combinations of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved cithern, case, and table shown as folded up ready for being carried. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same shown in open position ready for playing the cithern. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3, Fig. 2, drawn on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through the cithern and case on line 4 4, Fig. 1, the dotted lines showing the position of the parts when opened; and Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the cithern, case, and table shown with the legs folded up and the bottom in open position.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a cithern or other similar stringed instrument, such as an autoha'rp, guitar-cithern, or the like. The cithern and its sounding-board a and bottom A are made integral with a case B, which extends as a continuation of the sides of the cithern-body and integral therewith 2 below the cithern-bott0m A, so as to form an inclosed space below the cithern within which the legs D and braces D for the same can be folded, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Ahinged bottom E closes the space below the cithernbottom A and incloses the legs and braces folded therein, said bottom E being held in position by means of a pin 1) and hook 1), ar-

ranged at the front part of the bottom E and case B, respectively. The bottom is provided at one side with a block d, carrying a pin (1,

into open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The lid F is attached by means of pivotlinks f to the slotted studs or ears f, attached to the sounding-board a of the cithern, said lid being provided with a pivoted locking-hook g, that engages the sounding-board by means of an undercut slot 9 in the same, so that when the lid is placed upon the same it can be tightly locked thereto. This is assisted by means of headed studs 9 that are arranged near the rear edge of the cithern and which engage recesses g in the rear part of the lid. Theslotted ears f serve for permitting a slight backward movement of the lid when opening the cithern, so as to produce the clearance of the recesses g from the studs 9 before the lid is swung up into open and then into slightlyinclined position at the back of the cithern, as shown in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the lid is to be closed, ,it is swung up over the cithern, moved forward slightly, so as to engage the studs g in the recesses 9 and then locked by turning the locking-hook 9 so that it passes through the slot in the frontpart of the cithern. When the lid, as well as the bottom, is closed, the entire cithern, case, and table can be conveniently car front legs.

ried by the handle 7b, which is attached to the front part of the case B.

In addition to the folding legs, which are hinged in pairs to the cithern and case, the upper ends of the pair at each end of the cithern being connected by a bar a, brace-rods D are used, which are pivoted at their upper ends to the case B below the cithern-bottom A, by which the legs are firmly retained in vertical position. The brace-rods are applied to each of the front legs of the cithern, the bent ends of said brace-rods engaging socket-- holes a in the legs, as shown in Fig. 2. By means of the connections described it will be seen that the hinged bottom when in open position acts as a stiffening-brace for the rear legs, while the brace-rods serve for stiffening the front legs. One of the legs is preferably provided with an adjusting-screw s, so as to permit the leveling of the legs on an uneven floor after the combined cithern, ease, and table has been set up for playing the cithern. The lid F is provided at its inner side with a hinged ledge l, which serves, in connection with the lid, as a music-rack when the lid is in open position, as shown in Fig. 2. hen in this position, the links rest on the sound ing-board and serve to support the lid.

When it is desired to play the cithern, the bottom is released from its fastening devices and dropped into vertical position. The legs are then opened in downward direction and connected by the fastening devices with the bottom and the brace rods applied to the The lid is then raised by first pushing it backward, so as to clear the studs, and then swinging it open into inclined po sition. The ledge is lowered and the music placed thereon. The structure is then ready for playing the cithern. To fold up the case and table, the operation of the parts is reversed.

A very convenient combination cithern, case, and table is thus obtained in which all the parts are connected and prevented from bein g detached and lost and which protects the cithern and enables the cithern-player to take his instrument with him wherever required and to be quickly ready for playing the same or for folding it up again after use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A combined cithern, case and table, consisting of a cithern, a case made integral with the body of the same, said case being extended so as to form a space below the cithern, legs hinged to the case and folding into said space, a bottom hinged to said case, means for fastening the bottom in closed position, a lid hinged to the cithern-body, and means for locking the lid in closed position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a cithern and a case made integral with the body of the same, of a lid, links pivoted to the lid and to the cithern-body, and means for locking the lid on the cithern in closed position, substantially as set forth.

3. In a combined cithern, case and table, the combination of a cithern and a case made integral with the body of the same, a lid, slotted ears on the cithern-body, pivot-links connecting the lid with said slotted ears, and means for locking the lid on the cithern in closed position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a combined cithern, case and table, the combination of a cithern and a case made integral with the body of the same, a lid provided with recesses in its rear part, headed studs near the rear edge of the cithern-body for engaging said recesses, slotted ears on the cithern-body near the rear part of the same, pivot-links connecting the lid with the slotted cars, a locking-hook at the front part of the lid, and a slot in the cithern-body near the front edge of the same, said recesses, headed studs, slotted ears, pivot-links, locking-hook and slot permitting the rigid looking of the lid to the cithern and the clearance of the same when moved into open position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS BLI'MENBERG.

Witnesses:

.I. F. BLUMENBERG, .Tr., JOHN Bonmr. 

